How much paper do schools use

If you were to expand the search nationwide, the number would be around 34 billion papers being used in schools every year. Now when it comes to costs, the average price per page for paper is 5 cents, meaning that in this case where 34 billion pages are consumed annually, providing papers for every student in the US would cost roughly 2 billion dollars every year. On top of the upfront price of paper there are other ways that using paper in schools can be costly.

For example, reams of paper take up a lot of space, meaning a container in the room or an entire closet might have to be dedicated to just paper storage. Also besides the cost of space, students take home a lot of papers which could easily be misplaced or lost, as a result causing the total amount of paper teachers need to increase. Document management is critical for educational department. There are some things you can do to reduce the amount of paper usage in your classroom.

Using digital methods, document scanning is one simple way to transform a classroom. Use of apps like Dropbox allow schools to distribute and receive materials electronically, while apps such as Google Docs allow teachers and students to create, share and collaborate, with sophisticated privacy settings to restrict access to edit or view content as needed. Using electronic repositories for documents means teachers and students can access their work from any location, so there is no need to worry about lost pieces of paper.

Most parents these days rely heavily on mobile devices to fit everything into their busy schedules. Using mobile devices to interact with schools makes sense. According to the NYC Government, the paper discarded during the school year in one NYC school added up to 28 pounds for each student, teacher, and staff member.

That means sheets weighs almost exactly one pound. Put the above two together and you get about 2, sheets of paper per person every year in a single school.

Imagine if that was all electronic. Center for a New American Dream has an excellent buying guide. Look under specific items, such as paper, pencils, or backpacks, for sources, guidance, and general information. Co-op America : The pages about WoodWise, a program about "Economic Action to End Deforestation," provide a ton of interesting facts and resources about paper consumption, recycling, and what you can do.

ForestEthics has a lot of information about how to protect forests by changing the market for paper and the suppliers of forest products, through their campaigns to get catalogs to use recycled paper, to protect Canada's Boreal forest, and to promote sustainable forest management globally. Why Green Schools? Take the Quiz. Make a Difference. Find Green Products. Teach Green. Changing Paper Consumption As you read the next paragraph, a forest area the size of 20 football fields will be lost for paper production use alone.

Other options to simplify your school's search for recycled paper include: California's Contract with Office Depot : The State of California has a new contract with National Office Solutions to provide office supplies to government agencies - including schools - at discounted prices, in small and bulk amounts.